Auto Attaching Motion Capture Data to a Rig

The video demonstrates the execution of my script, which is customized to attached to the Maverick rig, provided by Ahmed Elmatarawi

In early 2023 I as tasked with attaching motion capture data (.fbx out of Shogun Post) to a rig in Maya. When shown the repeating process of retargeting, connecting, and constraining locators, joints, and controls I figured that it would save a significant amount of time to automate the process.

This is the code that I made. The top section declares the joints on the motion capture .fbx and then the controls associated with them. The motion capture joints out of Shogun Post will always export with the same names, so the first Joints in the list can be left alone.

To use this code for your own rig, just replace the names of the relevant control associated with the specific joint.

"""

Dasha Makarishcheva

February 2022

"""

import maya.cmds as cmds;

import math;

# Modify this

# Partner the name of each joint of the Motion Capture Data to its parallel Rig Control

AllData = [

# Arms

("RightHand", "R_maverick_wrist_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("LeftHand", "L_maverick_wrist_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("LeftForeArm", "L_maverick_elbow_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("RightForeArm", "R_maverick_elbow_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("RightArm", "R_maverick_shoulder_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("LeftArm", "L_maverick_shoulder_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

#Legs

("RightFoot", "R_maverick_ankle_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("LeftFoot", "L_maverick_ankle_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("RightLeg", "R_maverick_knee_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("LeftLeg", "L_maverick_knee_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("RightUpLeg", "R_maverick_hip_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

("LeftUpLeg", "L_maverick_hip_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

#Body

("Neck", "C_maverick_head_CTRL"),

#("Spine3", "C_maverick_spine_04_bind2_0_CTRL"),

("Spine2", "C_maverick_spine_03_bind2_0_CTRL"),

("Spine1", "C_maverick_spine_02_bind2_0_CTRL"),

("Spine", "C_maverick_spine_01_bind2_0_CTRL"),

#Hips

("Hips_ncl1_1", "C_maverick_COG_CTRL"),

#Toes (Breaks/Is Funky)

#("RightToeBase", "R_maverick_ball_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

#("LeftToeBase", "L_maverick_ball_0_bind_FK_0_CTRL"),

]

def AttachRigToMocap(AllData):

num = 1

for i in AllData:

#Creates locator per joint

cmds.spaceLocator(n = "Locator_%s"%(str(num)))

#Fetches XYZ position of joint

JointPos = cmds.xform(str(i[0]), query=True, translation=True, worldSpace=True)

#Prints XYZ position of joint

print("Joint" + str(num) + " pos: " + str(JointPos[0]) + ", " + str(JointPos[1]) + ", " + str(JointPos[2]))

#Moves locator to Joint position

cmds.parent("Locator_%s"%(str(num)),str(i[0]))

#Makes translation and rotation of locator 0

cmds.select("Locator_%s"%(str(num)), af = True)

cmds.move(JointPos[0],JointPos[1],JointPos[2], worldSpace = True)

cmds.setAttr("Locator_%s.rx"%(str(num)),0)

cmds.setAttr("Locator_%s.ry"%(str(num)),0)

cmds.setAttr("Locator_%s.rz"%(str(num)),0)

#clear selection

cmds.select(cl=True)

#Matches rotation of Locator to control

cmds.matchTransform("Locator_%s"%(str(num)),str(i[1]), pos=False,rot=True,scale=False)

if str(i[0]) == 'Hips_ncl1_1':

#Creates parent constraint if attaching waist

cmds.parentConstraint("Locator_%s"%(str(num)),str(i[1]))

else:

#Creates an orient constraint between the control and the locator

cmds.orientConstraint("Locator_%s"%(str(num)),str(i[1]))

#Adds to num for new unique locator in loop

num += 1

AttachRigToMocap(AllData)